Students Of Life

I took Bailey for a walk this evening and was surprised to be visited by an old friend. Well, in memory anyways.  I don’t know if it was the sunshine, or the quiet solitude, but my mind started to wander and suddenly there was Jean-Yves.

Jean-Yves was on the RMC Nijmegen team with me. On the second day of the march, I was in all sorts of pain. I didn’t say anything to anyone, but as you can see in this picture, it was pretty evident.

pain

That grumpy looking guy beside me, that’s Jean-Yves. As you can see he was in a bit of his own pain.  We were obviously hurting so our smart team captain had put us both up front. We didn’t talk at all during the march that day. When we got back to camp he asked me how I was doing. I mumbled fine and tried my best not to cry. He reached over and hugged me because that’s who Jean-Yves was. It didn’t matter that he was in just as much if not more pain, he wanted to make me feel better. The last two days of the march went well enough for our team (severe ankle sprains aside). We all finished and it was a great experience.

Now Jean-Yves had a bad heart and as part of his physiotherapy he was suppose to walk. After Nijmegen he was looking for a new walking partner. I had two large dogs who needed daily walks and Jean -Yves lived around the corner from me so we started to walk together. Every weekday morning, rain or shine, Jean-Yves would be knocking at my front door at 06h00 and we’d walk 6 – 10 km. He wasn’t so keen on the dogs at first (did I mention they were large) but he warmed up to them. And as I got more and more pregnant he even took their leashes and helped scoop; this from someone who was not a dog person. We talked about anything and everything and I really enjoyed our morning chats. I miss my friend, but I cherish my memories.

Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve updated, but I’ve been a little lost. Literally, Jason and I don’t pay for cable or satellite so we were out of the habit of watching tv. But with Isaac going down at 18h30 for the last month (horray!!) our movie stash was getting a bit boring. We decided to start watching Lost. Our local video store has seasons 1 -3 and we’re almost finished season 2. It’s a little sad really, any time Isaac is asleep we run right for the couch to watch tv. Anyhow that’s were I’ve been. Don’t worry I’m still reading everyone else blogs, I just can’t comment from my work computer, so if I check your blog on my lunch hour I won’t be able to comment.

Or just a slide; either way it’s his first climb.

At thebottom

the crux

the fall

trying again

Isaac James,

Can you believe it! You’re one!!! And my boy, you still continue to amaze, and entertain us daily. We had your party on Sunday so some of your little friends could come. You had a pool party in the backyard and LOVED it, I think we’ll have to bust the pool out again this weekend.

Fun was had by all

I made you a little ’smash’ cake and it true Isaac fashion you expolred and enjoyed it, but didn’t get too crazy.

Mmmm Cake!!

Your Aunty Heather and her friend Jonah came to visit and celebrate your birthday with you. We opened gifts today before supper, but you were more interested in playing with your current toys, so Papa had to help you with the opening.

You are a clever little boy with a gleam of mischeif in your eyes. You like to play with your toys and are very good at self entertaining. About two weeks ago you FINALLY started to sleep well and I couldn’t be happier. Now that I’m back to work full time  you go to Sandra’s five days a week to play with the girls and you do really well there. You love the other kids and forget all about me as soon as you see the girls.

Another recent breakthrough is you’ve started eating more solid food at home. You’ve always done well at the sitters, but at home; well you prefered your other options and weren’t above holding out until I nursed you before nap or bedtime. You still prefer to self-feed, but you’ll now open your mouth for us to feed you if you’re hungry enough and you almost always open for yogurt one of you new favorites.

Isaac you are such a smiley, happy, funny little boy. You are loved little man, more than you can ever know.

It went alright. It’s kind of like my first few weeks of my master’s degree…I think I’ll be doing a lot of extracurricular reading to get in the know. Otherwise I think it’s going to be alright. I’d elborate more, but I must take out the trash, recycling, and make a lunch for Isaac and I…ahhh the life of a working parent

ETA: The winner of the ice cream draw was Lisa H (her comment was on Facebook). Congrats Lisa!!! Good thing there is a DQ in Cold Lake, because her and her family are headed that way soon.

Isaac’s first birthday is fast approaching and we’re having his party on Sunday to celebrate. I had planned on making an simple angel food cake with whip cream/pudding icing. But 1) I don’t have the pan for angel food and 2) I was inspired by these cakes

First birthday cake made by J for M

cake made by T for A for his blessing

So I ended up making these with help from Jason’s sister Heather

cakes for Isaac's party

I know what you’re thinking, you’re thinking ’sure another post about how your kid doesn’t sleep’. But no my friends that was the one I would have wrote last week. This week my kid is a sleep superstar and I feel the need to brag share.  Maybe it’s because it got soooo bad before we got here, maybe because I haven’t really slept well for almost a year; who cares why, I feel the need to celebrate and brag share our success with you.

After our Florida trip we’d fallen back to old routines of Isaac in our bed latched (if not nursing) almost all night. He’d cut his naps at the sitter’s from two naps totaling 2 – 3 hours to one nap consisting of 20 min. He was a grumpy, sleepy boy with hour long pockets of happy smiley baby. Monday night I bit the bullet and decided it was time to let him fall asleep on his own in his crib. I was plesantly surprised when I only needed to do one check in five minutes after I put him down. He was asleep before 20 min was out. He woke a few times in the night but was always asleep within 15 min and DID IT ON HIS OWN. Tuesday night he slept for 12 hours with only a brief wake up at 3h00, where I went in gave him a kiss and told it was time to sleep; he was quiet and asleep before I reached the door!!! Tonight, he didn’t even cry when I layed him down, just talked to himself for a minute or two and went to sleep!!! I still wake him up to feed  him around 21h00 and 01h00, but plan to wean these out by September. Of course now that I’ve told someone other than Jason we’re doomed to regress, but whatever, this was  a great week.

sleepy but happy